West Seattle, Washington
19 Saturday
We’ve been saving up these contributed photos (THANK YOU!) over the past week:
Above, from Mindi Katzman; below, from Jeffrey Jones:
Below – if you saw this, you might think it’s a passing orca, but it’s not:
That’s a sea-lon behavior known as “sailing” (explained here in the past). Above, from Jim Spraker; below, from James Moore:
Later today, some great bird photos from the past week (not The Turkey, who by the way is still in Burien at last report!).
(Added: Photo by Hobey Grote)
Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip – transient killer whales are in the area, southbound off Fay Bainbridge State Park (map) at last report. Closer to the west side of Puget Sound, though, so you’ll definitely need binoculars.
Two maritime scenes from the WSB inbox:
That photo of an outbound submarine is from Bruce Easter. Below, Lynn Hall caught a cargo ship, Kitsap Transit foot ferry, and (in the background) Washington State Ferry all in the same frame:
P.S. Looks like partly clear skies and good sailing weather at least through the weekend.
Thanks for the texted photo/tip! That’s the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), in view off West Seattle right now as it heads back to Bremerton after almost six weeks at sea.
Thanks to Larry Shaw for the photos and report:
I happened upon a bunch of people checking out a sea lion exhibiting “sailing” behavior this morning off Alki Ave SW between Alki Beach and Luna Park. Several people thought the animal might be injured, but “sailing” is a normal behavior sea lions engage in. They float and raise their flippers out of the water to regulate their body temperature.
We have featured this before – in 2013, a “sailing” sea lion was even mistaken for a dead whale! – and Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network has raised awareness. But with so many new arrivals (and tourists), it’s always worth a reminder!
Thanks to Danny McMillin for the photo! Busy day on Puget Sound. After the orcas passed, this submarine was in view, southbound. (They’re not as easy to ID as most other U.S. Navy vessels, so we don’t have the ID.)
Early alert from Kersti Muul: 9 or 10 orcas are headed this way, southbound. And visibility has improved, so if they make it this far south, you should be able to see them. They were off Kingston as of about half an hour ago. Updates as we get them.
FIRST REPORT, 9:20 AM: The whales are back! Southbound south of Fauntleroy, Kersti Muul tells WSB. We’ll update this post with any additional info throughout the day.
12:12 PM: Kersti says another “large pod” is headed this way, currently southbound, mid-channel, off Bainbridge Island, “spread out.”
Through the morning and afternoon, we published updates on Southern Resident Killer Whales in the area, first southbound, then northbound before sunset. Tonight, some photos! Thanks to David Hutchinson for the first and third photo, Kersti Muul (today’s original tipster) for the one directly below:
Kersti says members of all three resident pods were in the area today; her photo above shows Onyx (L87) and Nugget (L55).
We just missed the whales by the time we got to Alki to have a look, but Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail was there, assisting with land-based viewing, which is one of TWT’s missions.
No photo but thanks to Aaron for the tip – almost four weeks after its most-recent return from a training voyage, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) headed back outbound after dark tonight. MarineTraffic.com shows it currently passing Whidbey Island.
11:12 AM: Thanks to James for the photo – off West Seattle, those sailboats are part of the first race of the year, the Three Tree Point Yacht Club‘s Duwamish Head Race. They started in Des Moines, then were heading to Duwamish Head, Blakely Rock, and back to Des Moines.
ADDED 1:12 PM: Thanks to Jim Borrow for sending the next two photos:
This race is part of the Southern Sound Series.
1:24 PM: Thanks to Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail as well as Kersti Muul for the tips – resident orcas from J-Pod should be in view off West Seattle soon – they are southbound off Discovery Park on the north side of Elliott Bay. Donna will be at Constellation Park just south of Alki Point shortly to assist would-be whale-watchers. Let us know if you see the orcas!
1:45 PM: The whales have turned around so you WON’T be seeing them unless you’re north of Elliott Bay. We’ll update if that changes!
ORIGINAL REPORT, 11:43 AM: Early warning this time – Kersti Muul sends word that orcas are off Golden Gardens (Ballard), southbound, so could be visible from here before long. Let us know if you see them!
12:07 PM: Update from Kersti – they’re off the north tip of Elliott Bay.
12:47 PM: Update from Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail – they are in view from Constellation Park – residents!
1:27 PM: Along with the updates in comments, we just received email from Russell, saying they are in view from Pt. Williams at Lincoln Park.
6:09 PM: Photos added – top of the story and above this line, by Jamie Kinney. Thank you!
(Photo added – orcas & MV Issaquah, by Trileigh Tucker)
9:31 AM: Thanks for the tips! Orcas are in view from Alki as they head this way, southbound. Kersti Muul says there’s at least six. Let us know if you see them!
9:54 AM: Kersti says they’re now south of the Bremerton ferry lanes and appear to be residents.
10:55 AM: Now passing Fauntleroy.
11:37 AM: Kersti says members of all three Southern Resident pods are here – J, K, and L!
Thanks for the tips, and to Jim Borrow for the photo! The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) is returning to Bremerton this morning after a month at sea.
Thanks to David Hutchinson for the photo. That’s what the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship – aka Spirit of Seattle – looks like by day. He photographed it during its final West Seattle visit of the season, this afternoon at Don Armeni Boat Ramp. You can still catch it at other stops around Puget Sound and Lakes Union and Washington – here’s the schedule. Our reports on its previous 2019 West Seattle visits are here (November 29, Lowman Beach and Alki) and here (November 30, Salty’s on Alki [WSB sponsor]).
The photos and report are courtesy of Seattle Dive Tours:
On December 1st, more than 30 volunteers braved the cold temperatures and the forecasts of snow showers to protect marine wildlife from dangerous underwater debris in Puget Sound.
SR3 and Seattle Dive Tours coordinated the event to clean under the pier at Seacrest Marina Park that is generally off limits to divers. The upper pier was closed to fishermen and spectators to ensure the safety of the volunteers.
Divers entered the water in three shifts to remove marine debris lurking below the surface of the Salish Sea. Additional volunteers on the dock sorted through the debris and documented the weight and types of debris found. This data will be uploaded to larger, worldwide datasets in order to reveal the greatest threats around the world.
Over 420 pounds of debris were removed in this short cleanup! This included over 300 fishing lures, five lighting systems used for squid fishing, four traffic cones, six abandoned crab pots, a lot of plastic cutlery, many mobile phones, and multiple tires.
This event could not have been done without the partnership of our hardy volunteers, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and the King County Water Taxi (Department of Metro Transportation, Marine Division). We look forward to continuing and expanding this event in the future.
This video from a volunteer participant includes a longer look at what was brought up:
Spectators lined the shore by Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) tonight as the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship returned to West Seattle for a second night, with the downtown skyline providing a bright backdrop. Tonight The Dickens Carolers were on board – here are two of their songs:
Full schedule for the season includes stops around Lakes Washington and Union as well as Puget Sound; see it here. There’s one more West Seattle visit, too – next Saturday, 3:05 pm at Don Armeni Boat Ramp, after a 2 pm stop at Duwamish Waterway Park in South Park.
(WSB photos unless otherwise credited)
7:28 PM: We’re at Lowman Beach Park, first stop of the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship‘s 2019 season. After about 20 minutes of live holiday music for those on board and on shore, the ship – and the boats sailing with it – will head to Alki Beach, with that stop scheduled for 8:10 pm. After tonight, you have two more chances to see and hear this holiday tradition – 8:40 pm tomorrow (Saturday, November 30th), by Salty’s on Alki (1936 Harbor SW; WSB sponsor), and then an afternoon stop on Saturday, December 7th, at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1220 Harbor SW), 3:05 pm (following a 2 pm visit to Duwamish Waterway Park in South Park). Video later!
8:41 PM: One boat accompanied the Christmas Ship off Lowman Beach – now that we’re home and getting a closer look at the photos, we can identify it as the Baltic Sea, which belongs to Husky Deli proprietor Jack Miller. Onshore – the traditional bonfire:
(added) Video, with two songs:
The Kirkland Choral Society was singing tonight.
ADDED 9:58 PM: Two photos received by email – thank you!
That one’s from a neighbor in the Lowman Beach area. Below, from David Hutchinson, during the Alki visit:
The Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship is visiting West Seattle on its very first night this season, so we want to give you an early heads-up if you haven’t already seen the listings in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and Event Calendar. Here’s where and when to see it here – you’ll watch and listen from shore while onboard singers perform:
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29 (with Kirkland Choral Society)
-7:25 pm at Lowman Beach Park (7017 Beach Drive SW)
-8:10 pm at Alki Beach Park (2701 Alki Avenue SW)
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30 (with The Dickens Carolers)
-8;40 pm at Salty’s on Alki (1936 Harbor Avenue SW; WSB sponsor)
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 (with Emerald City Voices)
-2 pm at Duwamish Waterway Park (7900 10th Ave. S., South Park)
-3:05 pm at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1220 Harbor Avenue SW)
This is part of a 3-and-1/2-week series of voyages for the Christmas Ship on Puget Sound, Lake Union, and Lake Washington. It’s free to watch on shore, but if you want to ride on the Christmas Ship or one of its follow boats, you can book that through Argosy.
5:10 PM: Thanks for the tips, and to Alex Orland for the photo! At sunset, the Bremerton-homeported aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) was seen heading northbound past West Seattle, two and a half weeks after its most-recent return.
ADDED 8:01 PM: Thanks to James Tilley for this photo:
MarineTraffic.com shows the Nimitz is about to pass Port Angeles. It’s been out on training voyages getting ready for its next major deployment.
2:39 PM: Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip – she reports southbound orcas off Bainbridge Island. She also notes this is at least the third consecutive year of orca sightings in this area on this date!
3:22 PM: Just heard from Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail. She says the orcas are off Blake Island, slowly heading south, visible from Me-Kwa-Mooks/Emma Schmiz Overlook (4500 block Beach Drive SW) if you use binoculars (she’s there now with some you can borrow!).
5:01 PM: Texter says they’re now northbound, passing Fauntleroy.
After four days away from its homeport Bremerton, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) is headed back southbound in Puget Sound. Thanks to the person who texted us the photo as it passed Dungeness Spit earlier; the MarineTraffic.com tracker verifies that it’s headed this way, currently off south Whidbey Island. Might be hard to see if the weather doesn’t lift!
3:23 PM: Now in view from West Seattle, just as the weather lightens.
(Added: Photo by Don Brubeck)
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